the money you pay into social security and medicare. it was reduced by two percentage points during the recession. jim axelrod has more. >> reporter: the payroll tax cut has given this family an extra $70 a month to spend. john is a maintenance man in jersey city, new jersey. >> are you paying any attention to what's going on in washington right now? >> of course. >> reporter: their $50,000 a year income put them almost exactly in the middle of the american household. if it's not extended those $1,035 more. >> do you have room to cut back? >> no. >> reporter: if the tax cut expires paycheck contributions will go from 4.2% to 6.2%. that's $115 billion a year that would go to deficit reduction instead of being pumped into the economy. heidi sherholtz is an economist. >> it's less money for consumers to spend, that means that the demand for business services will drop, who provides goods and services, workers, so employment will fall. >> reporter: those in favor allowing the tax cuts to expire argue money for social security payments has t